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Tuesday, September 3, 2013

My eldest granddaughter just started 1st
grade today. Unlike her Poppy (my pet
name) she has been ready for full time school for the last 6 years. My belief is that most children today have
far surpassed our generation in general intelligence and reading ability by the
time they begin school.

Maybe I should just speak for myself.

In
my granddaughters case her parents (especially her mother) worked closely to
teach her skills that I know I never had at this age. We saw photos of her widely smiling and enthusiastically waiting
for the bus to arrive. We spoke with
her this evening and she was so excited about her class, her teacher and school
in general.

On my first day of school I ran away.

I went to a Catholic elementary school (St.
Attica’s) and there were 8 grades. My
mother hired a neighbor girl, Suzanne, who was in the 8th grade, to
walk with me. I was instructed to hold
her hand. I was no baby and this was never part of my agenda so I broke away,
ran fast and somehow found myself following other kids who I assumed were going
to the same school.

At day’s end we were all assigned to a line that
would have us walking in formation to our individual neighborhoods. I knew Suzanne would be waiting so I jumped
into the wrong group and ended up in very unfamiliar territory.

Suzanne, in tears, sat at my house with my mother
until I somehow returned safely. I had
not seen her so upset since the time she was babysitting and my brother (Johnny
Fangs) chased her around the house trying to bite her.

That first day had other traumas especially the
dungeon-like classroom, the cold and dampness of an English castle and my first
grade teacher Sister Chewbacca.
I am truly pleased that my grandgirls are being
made ready for their journey through education. Hopefully they won’t follow in the footsteps of their Poppy who,
when invited anywhere, always checks between sofa cushions, car seats and glove
boxes for loose change.